Sports Journalist Christine Brennan (Xi/Northwestern), in a powerful tribute to Chi omega Sister and colleague, Pat Head Summitt (Xi Zeta/U of Tennessee, Martin): “Every girl and every woman who plays sports, and there are millions of them in this country, owes Pat Summitt one thing today: A thank you. She showed that a woman could be tough and unrelenting and powerful — and be rewarded for it.Mostly, she wanted to win. And win and win and win. And she did, more than anyone else who has ever coached the college game, male or female. She was a women’s basketball coach, yes, but she really was a basketball coach who happened to be a woman.”

Along with many family members, former players, friends, and admirers, Chi Omega was devastated by the loss of our Sister, Pat Summitt on June 28, 2016.

Summitt was initiated into the Xi Zeta Chapter of Chi Omega in 1971 at the University of Tennessee-Martin and remained involved with the Fraternity during her 40-plus years of membership, speaking at local and national events for Chi Omega and inspiring Sisters all over the country.

In 1988, Pat Summitt was awarded the Malinda Jolley Mortin Woman of Achievement Award. At that time, Summitt had won her second national championship. Since then, she won six additional national championships and won more basketball games than any other coach in basketball history.

“Today, Chi Omega mourns the loss of extraordinary Sister Pat Head Summitt,” said National President Shelley Potter. “Her unrelenting drive for excellence transformed the narrative and paved the way for the success of women’s sports. She will long be remembered as a woman of purpose – an inspiration for her own story as well as how she empowered others to be their best selves. A Chi Omega Malinda Jolley Mortin Woman of Achievement, her Sisters at University of Tennessee-Martin also fitting named their lodge in honor of Pat. Chi Omega Sisters join the chorus of all who admire Pat, celebrating her extraordinary life and contributions.”

Our Fraternity is proud to have called Pat “Sister” and offer our condolences to her family and friends, especially her dear Xi Zeta Sisters.

Sister Kate Rubins (Kappa Lambda/UC – San Diego) blasted off on July 6 for the International Space Station as a Flight Engineer for Expeditions 48 and 49.

A microbiologist with a doctorate in cancer biology from Stanford University, Rubins is set to become the first person to sequence DNA in space. Her research during nearly four months on the space station will also include how living in space affects the human body, especially the skeletal and cardiovascular systems.

Rubins was one of 14 people selected from more than 3,500 applicants for NASA’s 2009 astronaut training class. During her career, she has worked to create therapies for Ebola and Lassa viruses, aided in development of the first smallpox infection model, and conducted research on HIV-1 integration patterns as an undergraduate studying molecular biology at UC – San Diego.

Humans representing more than 95 countries have been living continuously aboard the International Space Station for more than 15 years, working in the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge, test new technologies and make research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. Other projects on Rubins’ mission include regulating temperatures aboard spacecraft, tracking ships all over the world, and protecting computers from radiation in space.

Rubins will stay at the space station with crew members from all over the world until late October. Chi Omega is proud to be represented by the 60th woman in space!

(Left) Sister Kate Rubins; Photo credit: NASA.gov

Newly arrived Expedition 48 crew members on board the International Space Station, Kate Rubins of NASA (right foreground), Anatoly Ivanishin of Roscosmos, (center), and Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) (center, left) are adjusting to station life on orbit. (Photo/caption credit: NASA.gov)

More than 1,300 alumnae and collegiate Sisters came together at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando this June for the 61st Biennial Chi Omega Convention.

The first night of Convention marked the release of Chi Omega’s new visual identity, including a new logo and tagline: Sisters on purpose. This new look gives a modern identity to our Sisterhood that will represent our membership today and for years to come.

The Epsilon Alpha Chapter conducted a beautiful initiation ceremony for the entire Convention delegation for Supreme Governing Council Model Initiate Natalie Thompson, who was joined for the ceremony by her mother, sister, grandmother, and many other Chi Omega family members and friends.

We were honored to recognize many collegiate and alumnae members during Convention for their service to Chi Omega, including Presidents’ Award recipient and former S.H. Letitia Fulkerson (Zeta Alpha/The Ohio State University). Watch the video presentation announcing Sister Fulkerson

The weekend ended with the Governing Council serenade in the Citrus Garden, honoring our newly appointed Governing Council members for the 2016-18 biennium. We are thrilled to welcome Gena Staggs Runnion (Psi/University of Arkansas) to her first term on the Governing Council and are so grateful to former S.K.A. Jane McWilliams Tankersley (Epsilon Delta/U of Southern Mississippi) for her dedicated service to Chi Omega.

Convention 2016 was a great time to be a Chi Omega! Mark your calendars for Firesides 2017 in Memphis this February and Convention 2018 in Phoenix.